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Evening Star
The Evening Star, 55-56 Surrey Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3PB History Built in the 19th century, the pub has always been called The Evening Star. At some point in the 1970s it was suggested (wrongly) that the name could have a connection with the last steam locomotive to be built in England and since then, many generous customers and visitors donated many pictures, postcards and even a coal carving of the engine to the pub. Part of the bar is actually made from genuine railway sleepers. The publican/landlord was listed as Mrs Ann Scott in directories from 1854 and 1855, Samuel Goad in 1858 an 1859, W Stevens in 1866 and Joseph Gunn in 1878. Robert W Pitt and family (his widowed mother and his two younger sisters) are mentioned in the 1881 census, as a "licensed victualler". Directories show John Wood in 1890 and 1891, Henry Thomas Newell in 1899 and 1905, William Jeffery in 1913 and 1915, Frederick Jones in 1918, and William Mark Wilkinson in 1927, 1930 and 1938.http://deadpubs.co.uk/SussexPubs/Brighton/EveningStar.shtml The pub was owned/operated by Smithers to 1929 then Tamplins from 1929 to 1966.http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=179-tamplins&cid=1#1 The pub was once home to famous siamese twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton. Dark Star Brewery The pub was bought in 1992 and became a free house. In 1994, half of the cellar was converted into a microbrewery. With only three fermentation vessels each producing a mere 63 gallons of beer, output was small. 2001 saw the Dark Star Brewery move out of the cellar to larger premises in Ansty, West Sussex. Pub sign The pub sign of the Evening Star dates back to over 100 years ago, and depicts an eight-pointed star, upon which rests a tawny owl, waking for a night of hunting. Beers The Evening Star has a very wide selection of beers, with seven hand-pumps for cask ale. Usually, at least three of the beers are from the Dark Star brewery, with up to four guest beers. It also has six keg pumps, dispensing Dark Star's organic lager, Natural Blonde, as well as their keg stout, Oatmeal Stout. The other keg pumps provide a rotating selection of draught Belgian, German and American beers. Two cider pumps provide a range of ciders and perrys. They also have a fridge containing a range of Belgian, German and American bottled beers. Awards * 2004: The Evening Star was the Brighton and South Downs Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) pub of the year. * 2005: The Evening Star was the Sussex & Surrey Regional pub of the year, and the Brighton and South Downs CAMRA pub of the year. * 2006: The Evening Star regained the Sussex & Surrey Regional pub of the year award, along with the Brighton and South Downs CAMRA pub of the year once again. Reviews *The Observer, 14 June 2009 Photographs *Then and Now at My Brighton and Hove External links *Official website *The Evening Star at Beer in the Evening References Category:Pubs Category:Dark Star Brewery Category:Surrey Street Category:Smithers Category:Tamplins